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MERIONETH-SHIRE. CHAPTER. XI.
MERIONETH-SHIRE, which the Britaines call Scire-Verioneth, and in Latine,* 1.1 Mervinia; is bordered upon the North by Carnarvon and Denbigh-shires, upon the East with Montgomery, upon the South by the River Dowy, is parted from Cardigan-shire, and the West side altogether washed with the Irish-Seas, whose rage with such vehemencie beateth against her Bankes, that it is thought and said, some quantity of the Land hath been swallowed up by those Seas.
* 1.2(2) In forme this Shire somewhat resembleth a Welsh-Harpe, though small is the Musicke that to her Inhabitants she makes, being the roughest, and most unpleasant to see to (as Giraldus their owne Historian writeth) in all Wales.* 1.3 The Ayre for great pleasure, nor Soile for great profit, I cannot greatly commend, unlesse it be for the many and mighty great windes, that for the most part therein do rage, and the spired hilles clustered together so neer and so high, as the same Author affirmeth, that Shepheards upon their tops falling at oddes in the morning, and challenging the field for fight, before they can come together to try out the quarrell, the day will bee spent, and the heat of their fury shut up with their sleepe.
(3) These Mountaines formerly did abound with Wolves, for whose avoydance Edgar the peaceable, did impose (as Malmesbury writeth) a yeerely Tri∣bute of three hundred Wolves,* 1.4 upon Ludwall Prince of that Countrey, whereby in three yeers space they were quite destroyed: and now their faces are cove∣red with fruitfull flocks of Sheepe, besides Neate and other Cattle that therein abundantly doe grase, wherein the onely riches of this Shire doth consist: for by reason of the unevennesse of the soyle and rockes so neere the face of the earth, the Plough can∣not bee drawne, nor the Corne prosper, which some have imputed to the idlenesse of the Inhabitants, wherein they have beene greatly wronged.
* 1.5(4) These people are a part of the Ordovices, of whom we have spoken, who by the advātage of these mountaines held out with the longest against the Ro∣manes, and their necks not brought under the yoke of bondage, before the dayes of King Edward the first; since when they have attempted to cast off their sub∣jection to the English, upon some stirs raised by Owin Glendover,* 1.6 who having been a favorite of King Ri∣chard the second, and discontented by King Henry the fourth, in a quarrell with the Lord Gray of Ruthin, that intruded upon his demaines, quarrelled with the King, and entred into open rebellion and confedera∣cie with all other his rebels, drawing the Welsh-men wholly to his side, in hope to have had Princes resto∣red of their own blood: and he maintained the same with wonderfull pride, policie, and obstinacie for a long time, untill his confederates, followers, and favorites, and his owne courage, credit, and mainte∣nance, were brought so low by that powerfull King, that in the end he perished for very want of food.
(5) Their Townes are not many, neither those that they have of any stately buildings,* 1.7 whereof Bala, Dolge••he, and Harle••h are the Markets. By Bala in the North-East of this County, in the Welsh Lhintegid, in English, Pimble-meare, a great Poole of water doth drowne at least eight-score Acres of ground:* 1.8 whose nature is, as the report doth passe, that the high-land floods though never so great, cannot make her to swell bigger by their receipts; but if the aire be trou∣bled with over-great blasts and tempests of windes, she in as great a rage riseth and passeth her bankes, as if she would encounter that enemy in fight. Into the South whereof the two-headed Dee with a pretie sharpe streame entreth, and thorow the same glideth without any mixture of the same water, as the Inha∣bitants beleeve; more strongly conceited in their opinion, for that the Salmon, usually taken in Dee, is never found in that Poole;* 1.9 and the fish called Guiniad bred in that Meare, never is seene in the River Dee. South thence, neere Dolgelhe, in a lower hill, a great Rampire of stone and compasse is seene, and hath beene some fortification or defence in warre: which whilst we were curious to finde out some instructions thereof, by report this onely we learned, that is was called Caddoryrita Dren, according to the name of her neighbour and farre higher hill.
(6) Upon the West and Sea-shore of this Shire, Harlech a Market and Major Towne standeth, bleake enough and barren,* 1.10 but onely for Fowle and Fish; houses not many, neither curiously built, wherein standeth a little Chappel decayed and without use, in which lieth buried Sir Richard Thimblebye, an En∣glish Knight, who for the delight hee tooke in that game, removed his abode from a farre better soyle. Here also standeth a most strong and beautifull Ca∣stle, mounted upon a hill, and with a double Bul∣warke walled about, commanding the Sea, and pas∣sage of entrance of such as seeke to invade the Coast. And surely a great pitie it is to see so faire a worke fall to decay: the Constable whereof by Patent is ever the Major of this Towne: neere unto which are two great Inlets of Seas, which at low water may be pas∣sed upon the Sands with Guides. Upon whose Shore, as upon all the Sea-coasts in this County, abundance of Herrings are caught, for which cause they are much frequented in the season of the yeere, by many peo∣ple from divers Countries.
(7) This Towne being the chiefest of the Shire. the Pole shall be elevated onely from thence, whose height for Latitude standeth in the degree 53.29. minutes, and for Longitude in the 15.47. minutes, The whole being divided into six Hundreds, where∣in are seated thirtie seven Parish-Churches, whose names in the Table following are to be seene.